Rand Paul's Army Gathers in the Capitol to Help Him Block Patriot Act
(L - R) Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) exit the Senate chamber after Paul spoke about surveillance legislation on the Senate floor, on Capitol Hill, May 31, 2015 in Washington, DC.
Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesShortly before 5 p.m., when Rand Paul took the Senate floor, his allies outnumbered his opponents. Michigan Representative Justin Amash and Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie sat in benches at the back, silently rooting on the Kentucky senator, whom they'd already endorsed for president. At least 30 young people wearing red and black "Stand With Rand" T-shirts sat transfixed in the public gallery. No supporter of the Patriot Act or the USA Freedom Act stayed around for Paul's opening speech of the debate. The "Stand With Rand" crowd did.
"The president Obama who once was against the Patriot Act, the President Obama who once believed in the Fourth Amendment, is the same person now scooping up all your records illegally," said Paul.